Tennis star Coco Gauff’s parents were also talented athletes – who are they, what do they do for a living and does she have any siblings?
The tennis world recently said their goodbyes to the now-retired GOAT Serena Williams, and there is no doubt that youngster, Coco Gauff, is following in the legend’s footsteps.
In fact, Gauff’s tennis idols are Serena Williams and and her sister Venus Williams. “Serena Williams has always been my idol…and Venus,” she has said. “They are the reason why I wanted to pick up a tennis racquet.”
Gauff first met Serena when she won the Little Mo national tournament at the age of eight, and later met her again to film a commercial for Delta Air Lines and at the Mouratoglou Academy. After defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019, Gauff expressed her respect when they shook hands at the net. “I was just telling her thank you for everything she’s done for the sport”, she said. “She’s been an inspiration for many people. I was just really telling her thank you.”
Not only has the 19-year-old shaken up the game by defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon only at 15, but Coco also continues to prove that her star power, athleticism, and humble spirit will make her the sport’s next rising legend and icon for young Black women and girls.
At just 19, Gauff has won over $11M, played in two Grand Slam Finals, and just became the first American teenager to win the US Open since 1999 after defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the 2023 finals.
Coco owes her success to her parents who have been supportive of her career choice from childhood. Fans of Coco’s are likely familiar with the presence of the star’s parents at all of her games. The mom and dad duo are always seen cheering their hearts out and uplifting Coco from the stands.
Since it has long been proven that talent doesn’t skip a generation, fans are ready to learn more about Coco’s parental unit. Here’s the 4-1-1 on the family.
Who are Coco Gauff’s parents?
2023 U.S. Open women’s championship title holder, Coco Gaulf was born on March 13, 2004, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S to mother Candi Gauff Odom and father Corey Gauff.
Her parents, who tied the knot on Jan. 13, 2001, will celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary in 2024. Candi posted a heartwarming tribute to Corey on Instagram in honor of their 19th anniversary in 2020.
“19 years and counting. Happy Anniversary to us,” she captioned the snap of Corey hugging her from behind. “You and I already know the value we bring to each other and to our family. I love you, I love us, I love our life together. Happy Anniversary!”
Later that year in December, the couple revisited the restaurant where they had their very first day 24 years prior.
Coco Gauff hails of African-American ethnicity; her family has been American citizens from the first.
Coco has top-of-the-line athleticism running through her veins! According to The Tennis Time, Coco’s parents, Candi and Corey, are well-versed in sports. Candi and Corey both hail from Delray Beach, Florida, United States.
Gauff lived her early years in Atlanta. She began playing tennis at the age of six. When she was seven, her family moved back to Delray Beach to have better training opportunities.
She worked with Gerard Loglo at the New Generation Tennis Academy starting from the age of eight.
What does Coco Gauff’s parents do for a living?
Coco’s mom, Candi, had an affinity for track and field and was a member of Florida State University’s team. Not only did Candi win the Sun-Sentinel Track Athlete of the Year award for two successive years, but the family matriarch also was named the state champion in the heptathlon event at Atlantic High School in the sunshine state.
As for Coco’s dad Corey, the family patriarch fancied the sport of basketball and played for Georgia State University during his prime.
While both parents’ athletic days are behind them, Candi worked as an educator at Atlantic High School and Corey as a healthcare executive, per the outlet.
However, things changed thanks to Coco. Once Candi and Corey recognized Coco’s talent in tennis, the pair quit their jobs and decided to train Coco. Her father later became her primary coach, while her mother oversaw her homeschooling. And as we can see, that hard work and dedication have paid off. Coco is a beast on the court!
“If it wasn’t for the Williams sisters, Coco would not be a tennis player,” Candi told ESPN. “And if it wasn’t for [the Williams sisters’ father Richard Williams], my husband would not have studied tennis in that format. He’s patented himself off [Richard Williams] and used their roadmap.”
When Coco became a Grand Slam champion when she won the 2023 US Open in in September 2023, she gave her parents a shoutout.
“Thank you, first, to my parents. Today was the first time I’ve ever seen my dad cry,” Coco during her on-court interview. “Thank you guys, you believed in me from the beginning. My dad took me to this tournament. [I watched] Venus and Serena compete, so it’s really incredible to be on this stage.”
Coco is quickly becoming a household name, — she’s currently ranked sixth in the world, per WTA — but her father tells Teen Vogue that Coco’s road to greatness isn’t a story of overnight success, nor would he or Candi consider their daughter a tennis “prodigy.”
“When it comes to something like tennis, [Coco] works hard. This is not an accident. She might be overnight popular, but she’s not an overnight success,” he stated.
At the age of 10, Gauff began to train at the Mouratoglou Academy in France run by Patrick Mouratoglou, longtime coach of Serena Williams. He helped sponsor Gauff through his Champ’Seed foundation, which he created to provide funding for talented juniors who did not have the financial resources to afford high-level training.
Gauff won the USTA Clay Court National 12-and-under title at the age of 10 years and three months – to become the youngest champion in the tournament’s history.
Does Coco Gauff have any siblings?
Tennis icon Coco Gauff is not an only child to her parents. She is the eldest and has two younger brothers whose names are Cameron Gauff and Codey Gauff.
Born on Sept. 21, 2007, Cody is the middle child of the Gauff family. The youngest of the bunch, Cameron, was born on June 5, 2013, after the family relocated to Delray Beach. Growing up in Florida has its perks. For example, both Cody and Cameron have had the opportunity to play baseball at Pompey Park, named after their grandfather Eddie “Red” Odom, who co-founded the Delray Beach American Little League.
Ever since their kids were young, Candi and Corey have encouraged their children to chase after their dreams. As they’ve drilled into Coco, the pair just want them to reach their full potential in whatever space that may be, including sports.
“You come from a lineage who has done great things. We wouldn’t put [anything] on you that hasn’t been done [already],” Candi explained of their drive.
They live with their parents in Delray Beach, Florida, United States.
In 2022, Coco Gauff unfortunately lost her semifinal match against Caroline Garcia at the U.S. Open.
A setback is always a setup for a major comeback. Tennis fans watched in admiration as Coco had been on fire during the U.S. Open. In fact, the teen was able to reach the quarterfinals after defeating Shuai Zang.
As fans realized Coco’s feat, which allowed her to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in her career, many hoped that a trophy was in reach.
However, Coco fell short during her match against 29-year-old Caroline Garcia. Keep in mind, that Caroline reigned supreme and won both matches at 3-6 and 4-6, but Coco should be proud of her performance since this match was far from a blowout.
Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka to become 2023 US Open Women’s Champion
On September 9, Gauff won the 2023 US Open, her first major singles title, beating Aryna Sabalenka in three sets and becoming the first American teenager to win the US Open since Serena Williams in 1999.
Gauff started her 2023 season at the Auckland Open, where she defeated Rebeka Masarova in the final in straight sets.
At the 2023 Australian Open, Gauff advanced to the fourth round, where she lost to Jeļena Ostapenko in straight sets.
At the 2023 Qatar Total Open, Gauff reached the quarterfinals after defeating two-time champion Petra Kvitová in the second round. At the same tournament in doubles, Gauff and Jessica Pegula successfully defended their title, defeating Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jeļena Ostapenko in a three-set match.
At the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships, Gauff reached the semifinals by defeating Madison Keys in the quarterfinals, before losing to Iga Świątek.
At Indian Wells, Gauff lost in the quarterfinals to second seed and eventual runner-up Aryna Sabalenka. In Miami, Gauff lost against 27th seed Anastasia Potapova in the third round. In doubles at the same tournament, Gauff won her fifth overall and third WTA 1000 team title with her partner Jessica Pegula. They became the first all-American duo to win the Miami Open doubles title in 22 years, defeating Leylah Fernandez and Taylor Townsend in the final.
In August, Gauff won the Washington Open, beating Maria Sakkari in the final. It was Gauff’s first WTA 500 singles title, and her biggest singles title to date. She became the first teenager to win the tournament. Gauff won her first WTA 1000 title at the 2023 Cincinnati Open, defeating Iga Świątek in the semifinals and Karolina Muchova in the finals.